Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, I am looking to see if anyone else has had beardies displaying VERY serious aggressive behaviour shortly after eating feeder roaches. Specifically Orange Spotted Cockroaches (Blaptica dubia)

I decided to try roaches as an alternative and have VERY quickly changed my mind. Today I placed 12 adult roaches in with 3 females. That equals 4 roaches each female, which is quite a meal! Anyway, while eating they would snatch them out of each others mouths and chomp away. This isn't the bad part......... Shortly after eating them the females would get very aggressive and start attacking eachother. I now have two females with "battle wounds" on their heads and faces.
If this had been a "one time" occurance I wouldn't be posting this, but ...... 3 times now I have tried to feed these roaches and 3 times I have had a serious aggression problem shortly after. This seems to last about an hour or so after eating and then everyone is back to normal. At first I thought it was a "fluke" but not now....

My females are far from starving and are very well fed, this is not a simple issue of a starving beardie wanting all the food. They continue to fight AFTER all the roaches have been eaten.

This was my third and FINAL attempt at using feeder roaches..

Just wanted to know if anyone else has had a problem..
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Lisa
www.beginnersbasics.com

have been doing a variety of roaches for all our lizards (frills, beardies, tegus, skinks) for years. it's a treat they always fight over, playing tug of war, but only while eating. once the roaches are gone they quickly settle down and head for the basking spot.
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Bennett

www.beardiedragon.com

Thanks for the reply.... Mine seems a little different though. The fighting got a lot worse today and it ended with injuries and that was after all the roaches had been eaten.

>>have been doing a variety of roaches for all our lizards (frills, beardies, tegus, skinks) for years. it's a treat they always fight over, playing tug of war, but only while eating. once the roaches are gone they quickly settle down and head for the basking spot.
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>>Bennett
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>>www.beardiedragon.com
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Lisa
www.beginnersbasics.com

Is feeding them separatly an option? May cure the aggressiveness problem.
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TheClassyLizard

I have decided to just not feed them anymore.... the roaches, not the dragons LOL

my 9 year old son breeds mealies for me and I always have a stock of crix in the house.... Just thought they would have been a nice change..
I had just gotten over the "eewwww icky icky dirty roach bug syndrome" LOL

>>Is feeding them separatly an option? May cure the aggressiveness problem.
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>> TheClassyLizard
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Lisa
www.beginnersbasics.com

I've not noticed any agression afterwards, but they do appear to relish the taste of any beetle type bug more than most bugs. Mine go crazy over the roachs and mealie/super beetles.
Maybe there is an underlying issue - either that or they like the taste so much that they are left jealous of the roach that got stolen and take it out on the theif (or imagined theif)...ooh beardie psychology....wonder if there is a course on that at the local college?
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Photos

I have a bloody new key board and can't get the feel of it.

Oh heavens, I have a blue jay that has learned to scream like a girl. I guess my daughter has been watchling "The Land Before Time" too much..sounds just like Ducky or Sara! )

Well, at least it is not the sound of a ringing phone, I'd hate to keep running to the phone and discovering a dial tone - not that could start getting annoying.

Oh- I am a lisenced rehabilitator, so it is ok for me to have him.
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Photos

Oh noooooo Not Ducky... annoying yep yep yep LOL

And Sarah is so obnoxious and pig headed!!

I have kids too... can ya tell? LOL

>>I have a bloody new key board and can't get the feel of it.
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>>Oh heavens, I have a blue jay that has learned to scream like a girl. I guess my daughter has been watchling "The Land Before Time" too much..sounds just like Ducky or Sara! )
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>>Well, at least it is not the sound of a ringing phone, I'd hate to keep running to the phone and discovering a dial tone - not that could start getting annoying.
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>>Oh- I am a lisenced rehabilitator, so it is ok for me to have him.
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>>Photos
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Lisa
www.beginnersbasics.com